JP4080411B2 - Assembly method of connection terminal for flat circuit body - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for assembling a connection terminal for a flat circuit body that is electrically connected to the flat circuit body.

  An example of a conventional connection terminal for a flat circuit body is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The flat circuit body connection terminal 80 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 includes a contact spring 83, a holder 84, and a cover 85 between the barrel 81 and the terminal 82. The contact spring 83 has a fixed end 86 at one end and a free end 87 at the other end, and is bent and formed with a convex portion 89 protruding in a “<” shape on the base 88 side. Yes.

In such a flat circuit body connection terminal 80, the contact spring 83 is not locked to the holder 84 before electrical connection to the flat circuit body 90. From this state, the flat circuit body 90 is 88, the flat circuit body 90 is pressed by the convex portion 89 of the contact spring 83, the holder 84 is raised substantially perpendicularly to the base 88, and the protrusion 91 of the contact spring 83 is engaged with the locking hole of the holder 84. 92. As a result, the flat circuit body 90 bites into the hole 93 by the convex portion 89, so that the circuit conductor 94 of the flat circuit body 90 and the contact spring 83 are electrically connected.
JP-A-10-275642 (page 3-4, FIG. 1)

  However, in the flat circuit body connection terminal 80, when stress relaxation occurs in the flat circuit body 90 pressed by the contact spring 83, the contact between the convex portion 89 of the contact spring 83 and the circuit conductor 94 of the flat circuit body 90. The load decreases, which results in poor contact and increased contact resistance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a connection terminal for a flat circuit body that does not cause poor contact even when stress relaxation occurs in the flat circuit body. It is in.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the flat circuit body connection terminal assembling method according to the present invention includes an external connection terminal portion at the end of the flexible flat circuit body as described in claim 1. A flat circuit body connection terminal fixing method for fixing a flat circuit body connection terminal comprising:
The connection terminal for a flat circuit body includes a metal case provided with the external connection terminal portion at a tip thereof, a flat circuit body housing portion formed of a cylindrical portion of the case, and a spring member disposed in the housing portion. Have
The accommodating portion is defined by a base, a top plate, and both side plates, and has an insertion port into which the flat circuit body is inserted on a side opposite to the external connection terminal portion. Having an opening from which the convex curved portion of the spring member can protrude;
The spring member has a reverse connection portion that is elastically reversed from a convex shape to a concave shape by pressing a curved shape, and supports both ends of the reverse connection portion on the both side plates of the housing portion, and the reverse connection portion. A support portion electrically connected to the housing portion,
When the reverse connecting portion is convexly curved in a direction away from the base, the support portion is exposed from the opening of the top plate, and the reverse connecting portion is in the direction of the base. When the concave portion is bent in a concave shape, the concave portion supports the both ends of the reverse connection portion on the both side plates at a position where the flat circuit body inserted into the accommodating portion is pressed against the base,
When assembling the flat circuit body to the connection terminal for the flat circuit body, the convex portion of the reverse connection portion from the opening of the top plate to the assembly jig having a U-shaped cross section having an open surface on the upper side The flat circuit body connection terminal exposed is placed with the top plate facing upward, and the end where the conductor of the flat circuit body is exposed from the insertion port of the flat circuit body connection terminal is Inserting away from the base, and then pushing down the convex part of the reverse connection part exposed from the opening of the top plate with a pressing bar to reverse the concave part, the concave part of the reverse connection part and the base The flat circuit body is sandwiched between a base and the flat circuit body and the inversion connecting portion are electrically connected .

  Here, as a spring member of the connecting terminal for a flat circuit body of the present invention, a thin plate-shaped member made of a conductive metal material having elasticity such as phosphor bronze, stainless steel, beryllium copper, etc. can be exemplified. . The inversion connecting portion is formed, for example, in a drum bridge shape, and when it is convex, when the top of the curved main body is pressed, a jumping phenomenon occurs and elastically reversely deforms into a concave shape. In addition, as a flat circuit body applied to the flat circuit body connection terminal of the present invention, for example, flexibility such as FPC (that is, Flexible Printed Circuit), FFC (that is, Flexible Flat Cable), ribbon electric wire, etc. As for the configuration, the conductor part is the insulating part, such as the conductor part formed on the insulating part or the insulating part (insulating coating) covering the conductor part is peeled off. Must be exposed from.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the reversing connection portion is elastically reversed and deformed from a convex shape to a concave shape in response to pressing from the outside of the case and curved toward the inside of the housing portion, Since the flat circuit body is crimped and electrically connected to the conductor portion of the flat circuit body, stress relaxation occurs due to the action of heat or the like on the flat circuit body, for example, the thickness of the flat circuit body varies. Even if it happens, the reverse connection part always gives a good contact load to the flat circuit body, so there is no damage to the flat circuit body, the contact load decreases and the contact resistance increases and the contact resistance increases. In addition, a stable electrical connection state between the flat circuit body connection terminal and the flat circuit body can be maintained. In addition, the assembly work of the flat circuit body connection terminal to the flat circuit body is a simple work that simply presses the reverse connection portion of the spring member, so that the number of steps can be reduced without requiring a plurality of steps. Can be planned.

Further, the flat circuit body connection terminal according to the present invention, as described in claim 3, in the flat circuit body connection terminal according to claim 1 or 2,
The reverse connection portion is formed integrally with the spring member.

  According to the present invention, even if stress relaxation occurs in the flat circuit body, the reverse connection portion always gives a good contact load to the flat circuit body, so there is no damage to the flat circuit body and the contact load is reduced. Thus, a stable electrical connection state between the flat circuit body connection terminal and the flat circuit body can be maintained without causing contact failure and increasing contact resistance. In addition, the assembly work of the flat circuit body connection terminal to the flat circuit body is a simple work that simply presses the reverse connection portion of the spring member, so that the number of steps can be reduced without requiring a plurality of steps. Can be planned.

  The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through the best mode for carrying out the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of a connection terminal for a flat circuit body according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a single spring member used in the flat circuit body connection terminal shown in FIG. 3 to 5 show a method of assembling the flat circuit body connection terminal according to the present invention to the flat circuit body, and FIG. 3 shows how to connect the flat circuit body connection terminal according to the present invention to the flat circuit body. FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing a state in which the flat circuit body connection terminal with the front end portion of the flat circuit body inserted into the case is disposed in the assembly jig, and FIG. 4 shows the state of the assembly jig from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the pressing rod is brought into contact with the top of the curved main body of the spring member, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the flat circuit body connection terminal is electrically connected to the flat circuit body. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a modification of the spring member.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a flat circuit body connection terminal 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a case 11 having a housing portion 12 capable of housing a distal end portion of a flat circuit body 50, and the case 11. And a reverse connecting portion 14 formed integrally with the spring member 13 and exposed from the case 11.

  The inversion connecting portion 14 is elastically inverted and deformed from a convex shape to a concave shape in response to a pressure from the outside of the case 11 and is bent toward the inside of the accommodating portion 12, and is a flat circuit body accommodated in the accommodating portion 12. It is crimped to 50 and electrically connected to the conductor portion 51 of the flat circuit body 50.

  Specifically, the housing portion 12 of the case 11 has a base (bottom plate) 15 facing the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13, the flat circuit body 50 is placed on the base 15, and the base The flat circuit body 50 is sandwiched between the base 15 and the reverse connection portion 14 that is inverted and deformed in a concave shape and curved toward the base 15, and the conductor portion 51 of the flat circuit body 50 and the reverse connection portion 14 are electrically connected. Is done.

  Moreover, the spring member 13 has the inversion connection part 14 between the support parts 24 and 24 arrange | positioned at the both ends. Fixed portions 16, 16, 16, and 16 attached to the case 11 are integrally formed at both ends of the support portions 24 and 24.

  Details of the connecting terminal 10 for a flat circuit body of the present invention configured as described above will be described below.

  The portion of the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 including the case 11 and the external connection terminal portion 21 is integrally formed by press-molding an appropriate metal plate having conductivity. The case 11 is a hollow provided with a top plate 17, a base 15, one side plate 18 of two layers arranged on the front side in FIG. 1, and the other side plate 19 arranged on the back side in FIG. 1. Having a box-shaped body. The storage portion 12 is surrounded and defined by the top plate 17, the base 15, and the side plates 18 and 19. An external connection terminal portion 21 is formed at the tip of the case 11.

  The top plate 17 has an opening 22 at the center thereof. From the opening 22, the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13 that is convexly curved (that is, curved in a direction away from the base 15) protrudes. The opening 22 inserts the pressing rod 41 of the assembling jig 40 (see FIG. 3) (more specifically, the pressing bar 41 of the assembling jig 40 is brought into contact with the inverted connecting portion 14 curved upward. To provide).

  The two side plates 18 and 19 have two pairs (that is, four) long slots for holding the spring member 13 in the case 11 at a position in the vicinity of the top plate 17 apart from the base 15 by a predetermined distance. 23, 23, 23, 23 are formed.

  The spring member 13 is formed into a thin plate shape using a conductive metal material having elasticity such as phosphor bronze, stainless steel, beryllium copper, or the like as a raw material. And the inversion connection part 14 is formed in a drum bridge shape, and when it is convex, when it is pressed on the top of the curved main body, it causes a jumping phenomenon and becomes a concave shape with a click feeling in a snap action. Elastically reverses and deforms.

  The spring member 13 integrally has protrusion-shaped fixing portions 16, 16, 16, 16 that are attached and fixed to the locking long holes 23, 23, 23, 23 of the case 11 at the ends of the support portions 24, 24. For this reason, when pressed, only the reverse connection portion 14 is reversely deformed while the support portions 24 and 24 remain stationary. The support portions 24 and 24 may be formed of a member different from the reverse connection portion 14 and integrally assembled to the reverse connection portion 14. Of course, in that case, it is essential that the other member has conductivity.

  The spring member 13 is elastically inverted and deformed from a convex shape to a concave shape by pressing against the reverse connection portion 14, and presses the flat circuit body 50 against the base 15 of the case 11 (that is, presses the flat circuit body 50 against the flat circuit body 50. ) The flat circuit body 50 is held and electrically connected to the conductor portion 51 of the flat circuit body 50. At this time, even if stress relaxation occurs in the flat circuit body 50 due to the action of heat or the like and the thickness of the flat circuit body 50 varies, for example, the inverting connection portion 14 is always in good contact with the flat circuit body 50. Apply load. Note that the reverse connection portion 14 may be formed by superimposing a plurality of types of plate members integrally. In such a case, by changing the metal materials to be overlapped, characteristics and electrical characteristics in reverse deformation can be obtained. The characteristic can be changed (adjusted) as appropriate.

  Examples of the flat circuit body 50 applied to the connection terminal 10 for the flat circuit body include those having flexibility such as FPC (that is, Flexible Printed Circuit), FFC (that is, Flexible Flat Cable), ribbon electric wire, and the like. As the configuration, the conductor part 51 is formed on the insulating part 52 like the flat circuit body 50 used in the present embodiment, or the insulating part (insulating coating) covering the conductor part is peeled off. It is necessary that the conductor part is exposed from the insulating part, such as that which is left. For example, in a method for forming a flat circuit body such as FPC, a metal foil (that is, a metal layer) such as copper is formed on a resin film, and the conductor is formed by etching the metal foil into a predetermined shape. And a method of forming a conductor portion by printing a conductor ink on a resin film.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the spring member 13 includes a reversing connection portion 14 and support portions 24, 24 having fixing portions 16, 16, 16, 16 formed integrally, and has a single structure. Therefore, it can be easily manufactured only by pressing, for example, without requiring many steps.

  Next, a method for assembling the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. An assembling jig 40 including a pressing bar 41 and a base 42 is used in the assembling method of the flat circuit body connection terminals 10.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 is placed on a U-shaped terminal holder 43 formed on the base 42 of the assembly jig 40, and the flat circuit body 50 is mounted. The distal end portion is inserted into the accommodating portion 12 of the case 11. At this time, the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13 is convex and protrudes from the opening 22 of the case 11. The pressing rod 41 of the assembling jig 40 is disposed apart above the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the flat circuit body 50 is disposed above the base 15 in the accommodating portion 12 (that is, disposed apart from the base 15), but is placed on the base 15. It may be.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the pressing rod 41 of the assembly jig 40 is lowered to press the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13 toward the inside of the accommodating portion 12, that is, downward. By this pressing, the inversion connecting portion 14 of the spring member 13 is elastically inverted and deformed into a concave shape to press the flat circuit body 50 against the base 15, and the flat circuit body 50 is sandwiched and held in cooperation with the base 15. Then, it is electrically connected to the conductor portion 51 of the flat circuit body 50. At this time, even if the flat circuit body 50 inserted into the accommodating portion 12 is arranged away from the base 15, it is pressed against and closely contacts the base 15 due to the reverse deformation of the reverse connection portion 14.

  According to the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 of the present embodiment, the reverse connection portion 14 is elastically inverted and deformed from a convex shape to a concave shape in response to a pressure from the outside of the case 11, and toward the inside of the housing portion 12. When bent, the flat circuit body 50 accommodated in the accommodating portion 12 is crimped and electrically connected to the conductor portion 51 of the flat circuit body 50. Therefore, stress relaxation is applied to the flat circuit body 50 by the action of heat or the like. For example, even if the thickness of the flat circuit body 50 varies, the reversing connection portion 14 always applies a good contact load to the flat circuit body 50, so that there is no damage to the flat circuit body 50 and the contact A stable electrical connection state between the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 and the flat circuit body 50 can be maintained without lowering the load and causing contact failure without increasing the contact resistance. In addition, the assembly work of the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 to the flat circuit body 50 is a simple work of simply pressing the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13, so that a plurality of steps are not required. Man-hours can be reduced.

  Further, according to the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 of the present embodiment, when the reverse connection portion 14 of the spring member 13 is deformed into a concave shape, the flat circuit body 50 is sandwiched between the reverse connection portion 14 and the base 15, Therefore, more reliable electrical connection between the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 and the flat circuit body 50 can be realized.

  Further, according to the flat circuit body connection terminal 10 of the present embodiment, since the spring member 13 has a single structure including the reverse connection portion 14, many steps are not required when the spring member 13 is manufactured. In addition, for example, it can be easily manufactured only by pressing.

  Next, a modification of the spring member will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the reverse connection part 14 of the spring member 13 has the slit 31 along the length direction. The slit 31 has a width dimension that is approximately 1/5 of the width dimension of the reversal connection portion 14 at the center of the reversal connection portion 14 and is cut out toward both support portions 24 and 24. The spring member 13 in this modification is also assembled to the case 11 in the same manner as described above.

  According to this modification, the slit 31 is formed along the length direction of the inverting connection portion 14, and the contact point between the inverting connection portion 14 and the conductor portion 51 of the flat circuit body 50 is increased. Connection can be obtained. Further, by appropriately changing the shape of the slit 31, the elastic pressing force of the reverse connection portion 14 to the flat circuit body 50 is adjusted, or the frictional force with the flat circuit body 50 of the reverse connection portion 14 is adjusted. Therefore, the flat circuit body 50 can be held in the case 11 more reliably.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and its modifications, and modifications, improvements, etc. can be made as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimension, form, number, location, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment and its modifications are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

  For example, the shape of the case is not limited to the illustrated hollow box (square tube) shape, and may be a hollow cylindrical shape having a racetrack cross section.

  For a flat circuit body having a plurality of conductor portions, a plurality of flat circuit body connection terminals corresponding to the number of conductor portions may be used.

  Further, the means for reversing and deforming the reversing connection portion of the spring member is not limited to the illustrated jig, and it goes without saying that, for example, an operator may perform the work manually with a hand tool or the like.

It is an appearance perspective view showing one embodiment of a connection terminal for flat circuit bodies concerning the present invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of the spring member single-piece | unit used for the connecting terminal for flat circuit bodies shown in FIG. In order to connect the flat circuit body connection terminal according to the present invention to the flat circuit body, the flat circuit body connection terminal in which the tip of the flat circuit body is inserted into the case is disposed in the assembly jig. It is an external perspective view. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which made the press bar of the assembly jig contact | abut the top part of the main body which the spring member curved from the state shown by FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which electrically connected the connecting terminal for flat circuit bodies to the flat circuit body. It is an external appearance perspective view of the modification of a spring member. It is an external appearance perspective view of the conventional connection terminal for flat circuit bodies. It is sectional drawing of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Connection terminal for flat circuit bodies 11 Case 12 Accommodation part 13 Spring member 14 Reverse connection part 15 Base 16 Fixed part 31 Slit 50 Flat circuit body 51 Conductor part

Claims (1)

A flat circuit body connection terminal fixing method for fixing a flat circuit body connection terminal having an external connection terminal portion to an end of a flexible flat circuit body,
The connection terminal for a flat circuit body includes a metal case provided with the external connection terminal portion at a tip thereof, a flat circuit body housing portion formed of a cylindrical portion of the case, and a spring member disposed in the housing portion. Have
The accommodating portion is defined by a base, a top plate, and both side plates, and has an insertion port into which the flat circuit body is inserted on a side opposite to the external connection terminal portion. Having an opening from which the convex curved portion of the spring member can protrude;
The spring member has a reverse connection portion that is elastically reversed from a convex shape to a concave shape by pressing a curved shape, and supports both ends of the reverse connection portion on the both side plates of the housing portion, and the reverse connection portion. A support portion electrically connected to the housing portion,
When the reverse connecting portion is convexly curved in a direction away from the base, the support portion is exposed from the opening of the top plate, and the reverse connecting portion is in the direction of the base. When the concave portion is bent in a concave shape, the concave portion supports the both ends of the reverse connection portion on the both side plates at a position where the flat circuit body inserted into the accommodating portion is pressed against the base,
When assembling the flat circuit body to the connection terminal for the flat circuit body, the convex portion of the reverse connection portion from the opening of the top plate to the assembly jig having a U-shaped cross section having an open surface on the upper side The flat circuit body connection terminal exposed is placed with the top plate facing upward, and the end where the conductor of the flat circuit body is exposed from the insertion port of the flat circuit body connection terminal is Inserting away from the base, and then pressing down the convex portion of the reverse connection portion exposed from the opening of the top plate with a pressing bar to reverse the concave portion, the concave portion of the reverse connection portion and the base A method of assembling a connection terminal for a flat circuit body, wherein the flat circuit body is sandwiched between a base and the flat circuit body and the inversion connecting portion are electrically connected.

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